'''Paladin Took II''' was the thirty-first [[Thain]] of the [[Shire]] was [[Ferumbras Took III]], who was unmarried and left no heir. As such, the line of descent from the [[Old Took]]'s third son [[Isumbras Took IV|Isumbras IV]] came to an end, and the descent moved on to the line of his fourth son, [[Hildigrim Took|Hildigrim]]. So the [[Thain|Thainship]] fell on Hildigrim's grandson Paladin, who became Thain '''Paladin II'''.

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{{hobbit

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| image=[[File:PaladinTook.jpg|250px]]

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| name=Paladin Took II

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| othernames=

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| birth={{SR|1333}}

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| death={{SR|1434}}

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| parentage=[[Adalgrim Took]]

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| location=

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| gender=Male

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| hair=

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}}'''Paladin Took II''' was the thirty-first [[Thain]] of [[the Shire]]. He was the father of [[Peregrin Took]].

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At some point, it seems that Hildigrim or one of his descendants had moved a little away from the ancestral home of the [[Took family|Tooks]] at [[Great Smials]]. Paladin was a farmer who worked the lands around [[Whitwell]] - a village which, though it appears on no map, is known to have been close to [[Tuckborough]] in the western [[Green Hills]].

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When [[Lotho Sackville-Baggins]] attempted his takeover of the [[Shire]], Paladin came into his own. As the legitimate Thain, he refused to accept Lotho's authority, and when Lotho's ruffians were found in the [[Tookland]], they were hunted and shot. So the Tookland remained independent while Lotho and later [[Sharkey]] took over the running of the rest of the Shire. A hundred of Paladin's archers marched to the [[Battle of Bywater]] and helped to defeat [[Sharkey's Men]], but Paladin himself does not seem to have been at the battle.

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==History==

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===Family===

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Paladin was born in {{SR|1333}} being the only son, and fourth child, of [[Adalgrim Took]], and a great-grandchild of the [[Gerontius Took|Old Took]]. He married [[Eglantine Banks]], and they had four children together, three daughters and a son. The eldest was [[Pearl Took|Pearl]] (born {{SR|1375|n}}) followed by [[Pimpernel Took|Pimpernel]] ({{SR|1379|n}}) and [[Pervinca Took|Pervinca]] ({{SR|1385|n}}). Their youngest child was [[Peregrin Took|Peregrin]] ({{SR|1390|n}}), who would be Paladin's heir.<ref name="Took">{{App|Took}}</ref>

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Paladin was married to [[Eglantine Banks]], and together they had four children. The eldest three were daughters, [[Pearl Took|Pearl]], [[Pimpernel Took|Pimpernel]] and [[Pervinca Took|Pervinca]], but the youngest was a son. This was the famous [[Peregrin Took]], who travelled with the [[Fellowship of the Ring]], and would inherit Paladin's title to become Thain [[Peregrin Took I|Peregrin I]].

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===Becoming Thain===

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Paladin was a direct descendent of the [[Gerontius Took|Old Took]], but not in a direct line.<ref name="Took"/> He became a farmer, farming the lands around [[Whitwell]] near [[Tuckborough]].<ref>{{RK|MT}}</ref> Never did he expect to become Thain as the Thainship had passed to the descendants of the Old Took's second son, [[Isumbras Took IV|Isumbras IV]]. Isumbras's grandson [[Ferumbras Took III|Ferumbras III]] died without an heir in {{SR|1415}}, so the Thainship passed to Paladin, his nearest male-line relative, who was the grandson of the Old Took's third son [[Hildigrim Took|Hildigrim]].<ref name="L214">{{L|214}}</ref>

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[[Category:Took]]

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===War of the Ring===

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Paladin never agreed with [[Lotho Sackville-Baggins]]' attempt to take over [[the Shire]] as he believed that if anyone were going to the "Chief" it should be the legitimate [[Thain of the Shire]], therefore Paladin and the other Tooks stood up to Lotho and his [[Ruffians]]. The [[Took Family|Took]]s hid in their deep dwellings of [[Great Smials]], and the ruffians could not get them, and if any ruffians were found in the [[Tookland]] they were shot and killed, an act which led the ruffians to become harsher.<ref name="Scouring">{{RK|Scouring}}</ref>

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At this time, Paladin's son [[Peregrin Took|Peregrin]] and [[Travellers|three other hobbits]], were lost in the [[Old Forest]] by all accounts. Their return was unexpected, but Paladin fully embraced their suggestion to drive out the Ruffians. He sent a hundred Tooks with his son to the [[Battle of Bywater]], and commanded the remainder of his troops cleaning up the area south of the village.<ref name="Scouring"/>

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===Death===

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Paladin died in {{SR|1434}} at the age of 101, and after having been Thain for nineteen years, he was succeeded by his son who became Thain Peregrin I.<ref name="Took"/>

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==Etymology==

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A "[[wikipedia:Paladin|paladin]]" is a high office which existed in medieval Europe - which entered into many tales - and was noble office held by a honourable and valiant knight. In particular, a paladin was one of the twelve peers of Charlemagne's court. The term comes from the Latin ''palatinus'' which means "of the palace".<ref>[[Jim Allan]] (ed.), ''[[An Introduction to Elvish]]'', "Giving of Names"</ref>

Becoming Thain

Paladin was a direct descendent of the Old Took, but not in a direct line.[1] He became a farmer, farming the lands around Whitwell near Tuckborough.[2] Never did he expect to become Thain as the Thainship had passed to the descendants of the Old Took's second son, Isumbras IV. Isumbras's grandson Ferumbras III died without an heir in S.R.1415, so the Thainship passed to Paladin, his nearest male-line relative, who was the grandson of the Old Took's third son Hildigrim.[3]

War of the Ring

Paladin never agreed with Lotho Sackville-Baggins' attempt to take over the Shire as he believed that if anyone were going to the "Chief" it should be the legitimate Thain of the Shire, therefore Paladin and the other Tooks stood up to Lotho and his Ruffians. The Tooks hid in their deep dwellings of Great Smials, and the ruffians could not get them, and if any ruffians were found in the Tookland they were shot and killed, an act which led the ruffians to become harsher.[4]

At this time, Paladin's son Peregrin and three other hobbits, were lost in the Old Forest by all accounts. Their return was unexpected, but Paladin fully embraced their suggestion to drive out the Ruffians. He sent a hundred Tooks with his son to the Battle of Bywater, and commanded the remainder of his troops cleaning up the area south of the village.[4]

Death

Paladin died in S.R.1434 at the age of 101, and after having been Thain for nineteen years, he was succeeded by his son who became Thain Peregrin I.[1]

Etymology

A "paladin" is a high office which existed in medieval Europe - which entered into many tales - and was noble office held by a honourable and valiant knight. In particular, a paladin was one of the twelve peers of Charlemagne's court. The term comes from the Latin palatinus which means "of the palace".[5]